BAGHDAD, Feb 29 (Reuters) - All Turkish troops involved in an offensive against Kurdish rebels inside northern Iraq have withdrawn back into Turkey, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshiyar Zebari told Reuters on Friday.

"All the Turkish troops have withdrawn and gone back to the Turkish side of the international border. We welcome this, we think this is the right thing for Turkey to do," he said.

A senior Turkish military source said some Turkish troops had returned to bases in Turkey after completing their mission against Kurdish PKK rebels, but that no full withdrawal had begun.

AlertNet news is provided by